During a conference call with analysts, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg said WhatsApp will help Facebook as it continues to transition to a more mobile-focused company. It's an "extremely high-quality product" with strong engagement, he said, and does not get as much attention in the U.S. as it deserves.

WhatsApp also has 450 million very valuable users. That could quickly surge to 1 billion as WhatsApp is adding about 1 million customers per day, Zuckerberg said, and any company with 1 billion users is extremely valuable. Facebook has said time and time again that it aims to connect the world, and now WhatsApp is tasked with helping the social network achieve that goal.

But while Zuck and the gang talk world domination, other tech startups are likely wondering if they too could secure such an enormous sum for their big idea. Inking a billion-dollar deal is the goal of any entrepreneur who heads to Silicon Valley, but are there any firms that could actually make it happen?

Hit the slideshow for a look at 10 smaller companies that have been making waves in recent months, and could become the next billion-dollar company.

1
Pebble

The Pebble smartwatch is a Kickstarter success story, and has sold more than 300,000 units since it started shipping last year. Pebble recently took its design up a notch with the Steel version of its smartwatch, and launched an app store to make its gadgets worth the $150-$249 price tag. Perhaps Samsung could take a few notes for its Galaxy Gear followup?

2
Tesla Motors

Tesla made more headlines than usual this week amidst reports that the company had met with Apple. Elon Musk confirmed to Bloomberg TV that he had spoken with Apple, but said an acquisition was unlikely because it would probably detract from Tesla's core mission of creating the best electric car. Could anyone tempt the real-life Tony Stark? He already has a few billions in the bank, but can you really have enough? For more, check out What if Tesla Built an iCar?

3
Oculus VR

Oculus VR was founded by self-described virtual reality enthusiast and hardware geek Palmer Luckey. But like Pebble, it really took off thanks to a Kickstarter campaign for its Oculus Rift development kit. Virtual reality has had its ups and downs, but maybe Oculus could give Google Glass a boost?

5
Uber

Mobile car service Uber has also had its share of bad press in recent months, thanks in large part to surge pricing and sketchy marketing tactics. But it's expanding rapidly and gets a lot of buzz for its promotional stunts (on-demand kittens and ice cream, helicopters to the Hamptons). How about using the Uber app to one day call for a Google self-driving car?

6
Spotify

Music services are tricky, as they spend a lot of money to license your favorite tracks (just ask Pandora). But Spotify is a favorite among the tech-savvy and recently expanded free listening to mobile devices. What if Spotify was your music choice on iOS rather than iTunes Radio? Yes, please.

7
Etsy

It's very easy to waste the day away on Etsy, poring over hand-made goods and random gizmos. While Etsy purists might not want the company to be gobbled up by the likes of Amazon, two-day Prime shipping for all your hipster needs sounds enticing.

8
Pinterest

When Pinterest debuted, I didn't quite get it. Pages and pages of ... pictures? That you look at and group together? Fast forward two years and Pinterest is another site that can suck you in as you hunt for recipes, ideas for redecorating your living room, bridesmaid dresses, or even the latest gadgets. Amazon and eBay have already copied Pinterest with their own "Collections"; couldn't the real thing do it better?

9
Kickstarter

Two companies on this list got their start on Kickstarter, but what about the platform itself? EBay is looking a little antiquated these days; why not add crowd-funding - and its celeb backers (above) - to the mix?

10
Snapchat

Oh, Snapchat. Are execs there face-palming today? The service reportedly turned down $3 billion from Facebook a few months back, right before Snapchat started having a number of security issues. The company reportedly didn't want to sell to anyone, but that $16 BILLION number for WhatsApp has to sting. Time to put out the acquisition feelers?

About the Author

Before joining PCMag.com, Chloe covered financial IT for Incisive Media in NYC and technology policy for The National Journal's Technology Daily in Washington, DC. She has held internships at NBC's Meet the Press, washingtonpost.com, the Tate Gallery press office in London, Roll Call, and Congressional Quarterly. She graduated with a bachelor's deg... See Full Bio

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